Brickellia californica
California Brickellbush
Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought TolerantFragrant (moderate)
Native to North America
Overview
Brickellia californica is a rounded, deciduous shrub in the aster family, growing 2-6 ft (0.6-2 m) tall and about as wide on many slender, brittle branches. The triangular to heart-shaped leaves are 0.5-1.5 in (1.5-4 cm) long, gray-green, toothed along the margins, and release a resinous scent when crushed. From August to October the shrub bears numerous small, cylindrical flower heads about 0.3 in (8 mm) long, each holding 8-25 cream to greenish-white disc florets and no ray florets. The heads are fragrant in the evening and are visited by night-flying moths as well as bees. Seeds are achenes carried on a tawny, bristly pappus. The shrub grows on dry slopes, canyon walls, washes, and rocky streambanks, dropping its leaves during drought or cold. Its open, twiggy form casts sparse shade, and the small flowers carry scent rather than color. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico and tolerates heat, poor soil, and extended dry periods once established. Similar Brickellia spp. species are separated by leaf shape and the number of florets per head.
Native Range
Brickellia californica is native to the southwestern United States, from California east to Texas and south into northern Mexico. It grows on dry slopes, canyons, desert washes, and rocky streambanks from about 1,000 to 7,500 ft (300-2,300 m).Suggested Uses
Brickellia californica is used in native, wildlife, and low-water gardens of the Southwest, where its evening fragrance draws moths. It serves as informal screening or filler on dry slopes and in revegetation of disturbed land. The seeds feed small birds through autumn.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 6'
Width/Spread2' - 5'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Colors
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
cream to greenish-whiteFoliage Description
gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Brickellia californica grows in full sun to light shade on sharply drained, rocky or sandy soils and tolerates drought, heat, and low fertility. Established shrubs need little or no irrigation, drawing on deep roots through dry summers. It withstands winter cold within USDA zones 7-10 and drops its leaves in hard drought or frost. Plants accept a wide pH range and decline in waterlogged ground. Growth is moderate, and the brittle stems may break in strong wind. Little feeding is needed on native desert soils.Pruning
Pruning is done in late winter before new growth, thinning brittle and crossing branches to keep the shrub open. Cutting back by up to a third renews dense, leggy plants. Spent flower heads can be left for seed-eating birds or sheared after bloom to tidy the form.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter